Astronomical apparatus



June 17, 1930. A. E. JOHNSON ASTRONOMICAL APPARATUS Filed Jan 50, 1928 4Shuts-Sheet I ll 1 m AT n June 17, 1930. A.'E. JOHNSON ASTRQNOMICALAPPARATUS Filed Jan. 30, 1928 4 Sheets-Sheet I I no [Imam m.

N V ZEZ- T June 17, 1930. A. E. JOHNSON ASTRONOMI CAL- APPARATUS FiledJan. 30', 1928 4 Sheets-Sheet.

a v I I 'III/IIIIIII/II/l/ {III/I111] 7/3?'ml'vll/llllllllllllllllllllll lm Jzzrem .fllpramde r E Jail/T05077 June17, 1930. A. E. JOHNSON ASTRONOMICAL AFPARATUS Filed Jan. 50, 1928 4Sheets-Sheet 4 1310011161": fll/exa/nder E. J5hmwow, '1 0% Patented June17,1930

means PATIENT service ALEXANDER E. JOHNSON, or CHICAGO, ILLINoIs"'ASTBONOMICAL APPARATUS My invention relates to astronomical apparatus.

One of the objectsof the invention is to provide an apparatus by whichthe relative movements of astral bodies, particularly the earth, sun andmoonmay be indicated.

Another object of the invention is to provide an apparatus by which theeclipses of the sun and moon may be ascertained and in dicated. r

Another object of the invention is to secure the foregoing-and otherdesirable results in a simple and expeditious manner. I In theaccompanying drawings:

, Fig. ,1 is an elevation of an astronomical apparatus embodying mypresent invention;

Fig. 2 is a cross sectionon line 2, 2 in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a plan view of the apparatus; Fig. 4 is a view in plan at theline 44 of Fig. 1; and

Figs. 5, 6, 7 8, 9 and 10 are views of details of construction.

Referring to the drawings, I show an ,ap-

" paratus having a base 1 on which is mounted the operating'mechanism.This involves rotary supports 2 and 3, which arein different verticalplanes, as by placing the support 2 below the support 3, whereby saidsupports.

may rotate independently of one another.

The support 2 is mounted on a rotary memher 4 and the support 3 on arotary member 5, each of which members 4 and5 are independently drivenso as to turn atdifl'erent rates of speed. The support 2 carries anupwardly extending member 7 which is provided with a device 8 intendedto represent the sun. This device 8 is adapted for adjustment .on thesupport 7 in a vertical manner. The support 3 is provided with anupwardly extending member 9 on which is a device 10 to indicate themoon, said device 10 being alsovertically adjustable. Thus these tworotary supports with their vertically extending carrying memberswill'indicate the sun and moon and their rotation will indicate.

the movements of the sun and moon.

A central member 11 is also provided and on the top of this is a device12 which indicates the eart Th s entral membe 1 re:

Application filed January 30, 1928. Serial No. 250,654.

mains stationary and occupies a central position so that the sun andmoon revolve around it. Thus it will be seen that the sun and moondevices 8 and 10, respectively, may be rotated about the earth device12, and may come into various, positions with reference to said device.12 and with reference to one another.

Driving mechanism is provided by which these devices 8 and 10 may berevolved about the earth device 12 in accordance with the actualmovements or orbits of the sun and moon relatively to the earth. Thus,since the sun apparently travels around the earth once in twenty-four(24) hours, the device 8 will travel around the device 12 in a givenperiod of time which will be considered twenty-four (24) hours; Also,since the moon travels around the earth in from twenty-four (24) hoursand fortyfive (45) to twenty-five (25) hours and two (2) minutes, thedevice 10 will be arranged to travel around the device 12 in they aresubstantially opposite one another and then they will come closer, justas the sun and moon act in the heavens.

lWhi-le the driving mechanism to accon plish this result could bevaried, I show, particularly in Fig. 4, a driving mechanism comprising ahand lever 14 pivoted on a shaft 15 and having a spring controlled tooth16 controlled by a pivoted arm or catch 17, the shaft 15 having teeth 18cooperating with tooth 16, so that by pulling on lever 14 against action of springs 20, wheel 18 will be turned in an anti-clockwisedirection (Fig. 4), after which lever 14 may be released so that it Willbe drawn back to original or normal position and tooth lfi'will passover teeth 18 in the manner of a ratchet, leaving wheel 18 in turned oradjusted position. Shaft 15 also carries a gear 21 meshing with pinion22, which latter is connected with trains of gears 70 for driving thespur wheels 2 and 3 connected to the rotary supports 2 and 8, as shownthe device 12. At this time the mechanism is stopped and the device 8adjusted on its support 7 according to the position the fingers l0, 11and t2 indicate to be the time of year at which the apparatus has beenstopped. The moon device 10 is also adjusted vertically on its support 9according to the position of the moon, as indicated by the dials 46 and18. lVhen this adjustment is made sight will be taken through theapparatus looking through the slots in members 7 and 9 and if thedevices 8, 10 and 12 are in ali nment, it will be inclicated that therewill be an eclipse of the moon, because the earth device 12 will be inposition between the sun device 8 and moon device 10. It these threedevices are not in alignment there will be no eclipse of the moon andthe operation of the apparatus will be resumed. W hen during suchoperation, the members 8 and 10 come into position close to one anotherthe apparatus is again stopped and the devices 8 and 10 adjustedvertically in accordance with the indications on the sun and moon dials33 and 45, respectively. If after this adjustment devices 8, 10 and 12are in alignment with device 1.0 between devices 8 and 12, there will bean eclipse of the sun because device 10 will be between earth 12 an dsun 8. It there is no such alignment there will be no eclipse. Theoperation of the apparatus will again be resumed until members 8 and 10are substantially opposite one another when the apparatus Will bestopped again, and devices 8 and 10 adjusted in accordance with thereadings on their dials. If the three devices are in alignment therewill be an eclipse. It not in alignment there will be no eclipse. Ifthere is an eclipse the date of the same will be indicated by theposition of the hands or pointers on the sun dial 33. If there is noeclipse the operation of the apparatus will be again resumed until thedevices 8 and 10 are close to one another and then they will be adjustedaccording to their dials, and it there is an alignment of the threethere will be a sun eclipse, the date of? which will be indicated by theposition of the sun dial hands. In this way it will be seen thateclipses of both the sun and moon can be ascertained and the dates ofthe same found. The curved members 80 and 81 are for supporting certainstar representations.

Some small adjustment of the moon dial necessary and to this end a gear51 is provided and four arms 52, each of which has a finger 53 capableof fitting into the teeth of gear 51. This will permit adjustment of themoon dial for fractions of days.

It will be understood that changes and modifications may be made Withoutdeparting from the spirit of the invention.

lVhat I claim is:

1. An astronomical apparatus comprising sun, moon and earth devices, andmeans for causing the rotation of the sun and moon devices around theearth and means for adjustlng sald sun and moon devices transverselywith reference totheir orbits.

2. An astronomical apparatus comprising sun, moon and earth devices,means for causc .ing the sun and moon devices to travel around the earthdevices, said means being adapted to move said sun and moon devicestoward and from the earth device during their rotation around the same,and means for adcausing the rotation of the sun and moon devices aroundthe earth and also means for obtaining the adjustment of said sun andmoon devices transversely with reference to their orbits, and means forindicating the time of year, said means being inter-connected foroperation as the sun and moon devices travel around the earth device.

4. An astronomical apparatus comprising sun, moon and earth devices, andmeans for causing the rotation of the sun and moon devices around theearth and also for obtaining the adjustment of said sun and moon devicestransversely with reference to their orbits, and means for indicatingthe position of the moon, said means being inter-connecte-d foroperation as the moon device re volves around the earth device.

5. An astronomical apparatus comprising a central earth device and tworotary supports, one carrying a standard for a sun device and the othercarrying a standard for a moon device, means for rotating said supportsin accordance with the apparent orbits of the sun and moon around theearth, said sun and moon devices being adjustable on their supportingstandards transversely of the direction of rotation, a day indicatingdevice comprising rotary fingers for indicating the days of the year,and mechanism for actuating said fingers as the sun support rotates, anda day indicating device for the moon comprising rotary fingers connectedto rotate as the moon device rotates.

6. An apparatus of the class specified having a centrally arrangeddevice for indicating the earth and a pair of rotary members carryingsupports on which are mounted 'devices representing the sun and moon,the sun device being adjustable on its support and its support beingprovided with marks or graduations to indicate dates of the year and themoon device being adjustable on its support and its support beingprovided with marks or graduations to indicate the position of the moonin declination, means for rotating said supports at speeds proportionateto the apparent rotation of the sun and moon around the earth, dialdevices for indicating the time of year, said devices being connectedwiththe sun rotary support to oper- I at}; with the gaging iiid-tbihdiatf; th 'tiiffi'o f year for any pos'itioii of the Still and nidpndial devices connetd with thei ota i-y siippoi't for the m'o'oh ai ldarra e to ifidicate the position of thg moon in delinatidn. In Witnesswherdf, I lirfiiito su b'sjc iibe my name this 29th (my bf Dcerhb'ei';A. D.

v i I. V. C; ALEXANDER E; JOHNSON.

